Florida Pedestrian Accident Kills Two Students
The nice weather in Florida allows many people to get outdoors for a walk. For those who live within the city, being so close to many major attractions makes it easy to quickly get around town. Even in high-traffic areas, no one ever expects that the decision to go for a walk will result in a serious accident. Unfortunately, this happens all too often to pedestrians throughout the state. A recent accident shows that even when pedestrians are walking on sidewalks they are not safe from harm.
Florida high school sophomore Jesse Sanchez and Jennifer Lopez were walking home from school with two friends. The four students, who ranged in age from 14 to 17, were walking on a sidewalk near West First Avenue and Ninth Street. Jesse Milo was driving an SUV close to the students, and lost control of his vehicle after experiencing a medical emergency. The SUV ran over the four teens, and both Jesse and Jennifer died as a result of their injuries.
The accident is just one example of a problem that continues to plague the state. Florida has had an alarming number of fatal pedestrian accidents, and is one of the most dangerous states for both pedestrians and bicyclists. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 490 pedestrian fatalities in Florida during 2008, the most recent numbers available. This averages out to 2.67 pedestrian deaths for every 100,000 people, which is the highest number in the U.S.
Miami-Dade County also has had a high number of pedestrian accidents. The county consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous counties in the U.S. for pedestrians. The Florida Traffic Crash Statistics reported 65 pedestrian fatalities and 1,390 pedestrian injuries occurred within the county in 2009. While this number does show a decrease over the past five years, it is still higher than any other county in the state.
Officials have made reducing the number of pedestrian deaths in the county a major focus. The county has implemented many new safety features for pedestrians, and has carefully studied the impact in an effort to determine which initiatives are the most effective.
Increased awareness of the problem has allowed both drivers and pedestrians to take more active steps toward cutting down the number of accidents, but the problem still persists. If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, contact an experienced attorney in your area. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.